Shower structure

ABSTRACT

An improvement shower structure that may be used as a replacement for a conventional shower head or installed initially as an integral portion of a bathroom. The shower structure permits the user to selectively direct a uniform spray of water over a desired portion of the body, and is particularly adapted for the use of women and elderly persons who may now take a shower without getting their hair and head wet. Also, the shower structure is adapted for being formed as an integral part of a wall structure to direct a spray of water over the trunk portions of a user.

United States Patent [191 Ejchorszt SHOWER STRUCTURE [76] Inventor: Olgierd Z. Ejchorszt, 5580 Vesuvian Walk, Long Beach, Calif.

[22] Filed: Aug. 1, 1973 211 Appl. No.: 384,606

[52] U.S. Cl 4/145, 4/152 [51] Int. Cl A47k 3/00, B051) 15/06 [58] Field of Search 4/145, 146,147, 148, 149,

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I 1 Jan. 7,1975

3,458,874 8/1969 Fritz ..4/145 3,724,760 4/1973 Smith 4/145 Primary ExaminerHenry K. Artis Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William C. Babcock [57] ABSTRACT An improvement shower structure that may be used as a replacement for a conventional shower head or installed initially as an integral portion of a bathroom. The shower structure permits the user to selectively direct a uniform spray of water over a desired portion of the body, and is particularly adapted for the use of women and elderly persons who may now take a shower without getting their hair and head wet. Also, the shower structure is adapted for being formed as an integral part of a wall structure to direct a spray of water over the trunk portions of a user.

5 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures Patented Jan. 7, 1975 2 Sheets-Sheet L Patented Jan. 7, 1975 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SHOWER STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Shower structure.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the past, shower heads have been provided that are attached to a flexible hose, and as a result may be moved by a user to direct a spray of water over a desired portion of the human body. Such devices have the operational disadvantages that they are unsightly in appearance, the hose deteriorates after prolonged use and must be replaced, and also the hose permits the head to be so moved by a child as to spray water outside the shower enclosure.

The primary purpose in devising the present invention is to supply a shower structure that permits the user to direct a spray of water over a desired portion of the human body, but without the attendant operational disadvantages that are inherent to the use of a shower head connected to a length of flexible tubing and hose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An integrally formed shower structure that may be attached to a tubular water outlet as a replacement for a shower head or as an original part of the shower in a bathroom. The shower structure in a first form thereof includes a multi-position manually controlled valve that has a tubular loop depending therefrom. The loop has apertures formed therein or small spray heads mounted thereon through which streams of water may be discharged onto the trunk portion of a user when the valve is in an appropriate position. By adjustment of the valve, water may be discharged from an overhead shower head, either alone or in combination with a spray from the apertured loop. By forming the loop with downwardly and inwardly tapering, vertically disposed tubular legs, and regulating the water pressure, a spray from only a desired lower portion of the apertures may be effected that is particularly useful in the bathing of small children. Also, a shower compartment may be provided in which the walls defining the same are hollow and connected to a valve-controlled source of water. The walls on the inner surfaces are provided with a number of apertures or small spray heads that are spaced from one another. When water is caused to flow into the hollow wall, the water is discharged from the apertures or spray heads onto the trunk portion of the user without the hair or head of the user being wet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a first form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a second form of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the second form of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a first form of shower enclosure defined by a hollow wall and with apertures on the interior surface of the wallto direct sprays of water onto the trunk portion of the user;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a second form of shower enclosure;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a third form of shower enclosure;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a fourth form of shower enclosure; I

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a fifth form of shower enclosure;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of one of the enclosures shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 inclusive in combination with an overhead shower unit;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion of one of the hollow walls used in the structures shown in FIGS. 5 to 10 inclusive;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and illustrating how it may be used by a child; and

FIG. 13 is a transverse, cross-sectional view of a wall that may be used as shown in FIGS. 5 to 10, but witer supply ducts being secured to the interior of the wall that are in communication with wall-supported spray heads.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIGS. 1 and 2 the first form A of the invention is shown that is connected to a standard overhead water supply line B, as found in a conventional shower enclosure. The invention A includes a manually operated multi-position valve 10 that has a control handle 12 which may be selectively pivoted to any one of a number of possible positions.

Valve 10 includes a body 14 that has a water inlet that by conventional means is maintained in communication with the water supply line B and secured to the latter. Body 14 has first and second water outlets 16 and 18. The body 14 supports a conventional shower head 20 that is in communication with first outlet 16.

The second outlet 18 is defined by a downwardly extending tubular member that on the lower end develops into two oppositely extending tubular cross pieces 22. Each of the cross pieces on the outer extremity devel ops into a downwardly depending tubular leg 24. The legs 24, on their lower ends, are connected by a horizontal tubular cross member 26. The cross pieces 22, legs 24 and cross member 26, on the side portions thereof most adjacent the user C, have a number of spaced apertures 28 formed therein or spray heads mounted thereon, through which fine jets of water D may discharge onto the trunk and leg portions of the user C when the valve 10 is in an appropriate position.

Valve 10 is preferably of the four-way type, with the valve being closed when handle 12 is in a first position. When handle 12 is pivoted to a second position, water discharges only from the apertures 28, without wetting the head or hair of the user C. Upon pivoting the handle 12 to a third position, water may discharge not only from apertures 28, but the shower head 20 as well. Turning of the handle 12 to a fourth position permits water to discharge only from the head 20. The cross pieces 22, legs 28 and cross member 26 are held in a fixed position relative to the wall enclosure by one or more braces 29, as shown in FIG. 2.

Should it be desired, a housing B may be supported on the first form A of the invention adjacent the valve 10, which housing defines first and second compartments 30 and 32 in which liquid sopa and bath oil (not shown) may be contained. A second muIti-position valve 34 permits wither of these compartments to be placed selectively in communication with tubular member 18 to permit the bath oil or liquid soap in a desired concentration to discharge with the jets of water D.

A second form A of the invention is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 that includes elements common to the first form A. Such elements in the second form A, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, are identified by the same numerals used with the first form A, but to which primes have been added.

The second form A of the invention employs a fourway valve 10' that may be connected to a stub pipe B which extends from the wall W of the shower enclosure. In the second form A the water outlet 16 extends upwardly and terminates in a shower head 20'. The second form A of the invention preferably includes a second tubular leg 36 that is intermediately disposed between legs 24, with the second leg also having apertures 28 therein. A brace 29' in conjunction with valve 10' and pipe B serves to support the second form A of the invention at a fixed position relative to the wall W. The second form A of the invention operates in the same manner as the first form A, which operation has been described previously.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, it will be particularly noted that the tubular legs 24 and 24' taper downwardly and inwardly, as do the interior passages defined therein. Either the multi-purpose valve 10 or a second valve (not shown) is used to control the rate of flow of water into the tubular legs 24 and 24'. When water at a substantial rate of flow is discharged to the cross pieces 22, legs 24, and cross member 26, as well as the comparable elements 22, 24 and 26 shown in FIG. 4, water will discharge as a spray from all of the apertures 24. However, by slowing down the rate of water flow into the legs 24 or 24' and cross members 26 or 26', the legs do not become completely filled with water, and water discharges only from apertures in the lower portions of the legs onto a child F, as shown in FIG. 12. The height of the spray that will discharge onto the child F is controlled by regulating the water level within the legs 24 or 24'. The outlet 16' is preferably of tapered structure, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 12.

In FIGS. to 1 l inclusive, a series of stall showers are shown that have hollow walls, and the walls on the interior surfaces thereof are so apertured, or have spray heads so mounted thereon, that streams or jets of water are directed onto the trunk portion of a user (not shown) standing within the enclosure, without wetting the head or hair of the user.

The first form G of such shower enclosure is shown in FIG. 5 wherein the walls 40 are disposed normally relative to one another, with one wall pivotally supporting a door 42 to permit access to the space 44 within the enclosure. Each wall 40, as shown in FIG. 11, is defined by laterally spaced inner and outer panels 46 and 48 that have a space 50 defined therebetween into which water is discharged by conventional means (not shown). At least one of the inner panels 46 has a number of spaced spray heads 52 or apertures (not shown) therein that are so arranged as to direct a number of converging streams of water 54 onto the user (not shown) within the space 44, without wetting the head or hair of the user.

A second form H of shower encloser is shown in FIG. 6 that is similar to the first form G, but differs from the first form in that the spray heads are arranged to discharge streams of water 54 in opposite directions onto the user (not shown).

The third form J of shower enclosure shown in FIG. 7 has the walls 40 so arranged that they define a passageway 56 that leads into the confined space 44 and the door 42 may be eliminated. Fourth and fifth forms K and L of the shower enclosure shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, has the space 44 and passageway 56 defined by walls 40 of hollow structure that are partially curved and partially straight. In FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 it will be seen that the spray heads 52 are so arranged that the streams of water 54 converge on the user (not shown). Should it be desired, a conventional shower head 58 may be supported at an elevated position within confined space 44 and supplied with water by conventional means 60.

In FIG. 13 a modified form of hollow wall structure is shown wherein ducts 54 preferably of semicircular transverse crosssection are secured to the interior surface of panel 46, and are supplied with water from a source (not shown). The ducts 54 may be either vertical or horizontal, or a combination thereof. Irrespective of their orientation, the ducts 54 are in communication with spray heads 52, and supply the latter with water to permit them to function in the manner shown in FIGS. 5 to 10. By controlling the rate of water flow to the spray heads 52, a spray of a desired height may be provided in the same manner as described with the forms of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive and FIG. 12.

The body shower devices may be provided with needle spray nozzles or pulsating mechanisms. The pulsating cycle and intensity may be made adjustable, slow, medium, fast pulsation. The body shower may also have a combination needle spray and pulsation.

A particularly novel feature of the inventions previously described is that while they occupy a fixed position relative to the walls defining the shower enclosure, they may be utilized to supply a shower spray of a desired height, and are hence useable by both an adult and a child in taking a shower without the head or hair of the user becoming wet.

The use and operation of the inventions have been described previously and need not be repeated.

I claim:

1. In combination with a tubular water supply line that projects outwardly at an elevated position into a shower enclosure from one wall which partially defines the latter, a shower structure that selectively permits the body only of the user to be subjected to a spray, the hair and head of the user to be subjected to a spray, or the hair and head of the user, together with the body of the user, to be subjected to a spary, which shower structure includes:

a. multi-position valve means connected to, and supported from, said water supply line, said valve means having first and second outlets, and said valve means including at least one movable element that selectively controls the water flow to either said first or second outlet or both, when said element is moved to a particular position as well as the rate at which water flows through said valve means to said outlets;

b. a shower head that occupies a fixed position relative to said valve means and is in communication with said first outlet;

c. two oppositely extending substantially horizontal tubular cross pieces connected to said second outlet and occupying a fixed position relative thereto;

d. two vertically disposed, downwardly and inwardly tubular legs that depend from the outer ends of said cross pieces and are in communication therewith;

e. a tubular cross member that connects lower ends and cross member in a fixed position relative to said wall. 3. A shower structure as defined in claim 1 which in addition includes:

of said legs and in communication with the interi- 5 g. compartment defining means for holding a liquid ors thereof; and such as bath oil and liquid soap, said compartment f. spray forming means on the interior surfaces of defining means occupying a fixed position relative said cross pieces, legs, and cross member most adto said first valve; jacent said enclosure that direct fine jets of water h. a second valve connected to the interior of said into said enclosure below the head of a user when 0 compartment defining means and said second outwater is discharged into said cross pieces, legs, and let, which second valve when opened allows said cross member, with the height of said spray being liquid contained in said compartment to discharge controlled by the rate at which water is discharged into water flowing through said second outlet and into said legs and the height of the water level be concurrently applied to said user with said jets maintained therein, said handle when in a first posiof water. tion maintaining said first valve in a closed posi- 4. A shower structure as defined in claim 1 which in tion, said handle when in a second position allowaddition includes: ing said valve to discharge water through said secg. at least one second tubular leg having spray formond outlet to said cross pieces, legs and cross meming means associated therewith, said second leg in her only, said handle when in a third position allowtermediately disposed between said two legs and in ing water to discharge concurrently through said first and second outlets to said shower head and said spray-forming means, and said handle when in communication with said tubular cross pieces and said cross member. 5. A shower structure as defined in claim 1 in which said first outlet is an elongate tubular member that extends upwardly from said first valve and supports said shower head a substantial distance above said first valve.

a fourth position permitting water to discharge through said first outlet only to said shower head. 2. A shower structure as defined in claim 1 which further includes:

g. brace means for maintaining said cross pieces, legs 

1. In combination with a tubular water supply line that projects outwardly at an elevated position into a shower enclosure from one wall which partially defines the latter, a shower structure that selectively permits the body only of the user to be subjected to a spray, the hair and head of the user to be subjected to a spray, or the hair and head of the user, together with the body of the user, to be subjected to a spary, which shower structure includes: a. multi-position valve means connected to, and supported from, said water supply line, said valve means having first and second outlets, and said valve means including at least one movable element that selectively controls the water flow to either said first or second outlet or both, when said element is moved to a particular position as well as the rate at which water flows through said valve means to said outlets; b. a shower head that occupies a fixed position relative to said valve means and is in communication with said first outlet; c. two oppositely extending substantially horizontal tubular cross pieces connected to said second outlet and occupying a fixed position relative thereto; d. two vertically disposed, downwardly and inwardly tubular legs that depend from the outer ends of said cross pieces and are in communication therewith; e. a tubular cross member that connects lower ends of said legs and in communication with the interiors thereof; and f. spray-forming means on the interior surfaces of said cross pieces, legs, and cross member most adjacent said enclosure that direct fine jets of water into said enclosure below the head of a user when water is discharged into said cross pieces, legs, and cross member, with the height of said spray being controlled by the rate at which water is discharged into said legs and the height of the water level maintained therein, said handle when in a first position maintaining said first valve in a closed position, said handle when in a second position allowing said valve to discharge water through said second outlet to said cross pieces, legs and cross member only, said handle when in a third position allowing water to discharge concurrently through said first and second outlets to said shower head and said spray-forming means, and said handle when in a fourth position permitting water to discharge through said first outlet only to said shower head.
 2. A shower structure as defined in claim 1 which further includes: g. brace means for maintaining said cross pieces, legs and cross member in a fixed position relative to said wall.
 3. A shower structure as defined in claim 1 which in addition includes: g. compartment defining means for holding a liquid such as bath oil and liquid soap, said compartment defininG means occupying a fixed position relative to said first valve; h. a second valve connected to the interior of said compartment defining means and said second outlet, which second valve when opened allows said liquid contained in said compartment to discharge into water flowing through said second outlet and be concurrently applied to said user with said jets of water.
 4. A shower structure as defined in claim 1 which in addition includes: g. at least one second tubular leg having spray forming means associated therewith, said second leg intermediately disposed between said two legs and in communication with said tubular cross pieces and said cross member.
 5. A shower structure as defined in claim 1 in which said first outlet is an elongate tubular member that extends upwardly from said first valve and supports said shower head a substantial distance above said first valve. 